I do not think it would be a good idea to try to squeeze this event in before Worlds. Then it really would interfer with skaters' preparation for Worlds, and be unfair because some skaters would have to go to this competition and others wouldn't.

I like it how it is. It is like the cast party at the end of a successful season's run.

Edited to add: AND ONE MORE THING. I am not much concerned about Scot Moir saying, my country is the greatest! Think of it as school spirit. Gimmie a C! C! Gimmie an A! A! ...

Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.

The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.

So that is what the Olympic games are all about.

To the athletes, though, it is not so much the Brotherhood of Mankind as, "I can run faster than you can."

To national governments, the Olympics provide propaganda opportunities galore. For a substantial part of the twentieth centurty the Olympics were part of the cold war -- which politico-economic system, capitalism or communism, produces the most gold medals? In 1980 the United States boycotted the Moscow Olympics to protest the Russian invasion of Afghanistan (how ironic -- now Russia has gotten safely out of that pit of quicksand and and the United States has been sucked in.)

In 1984 the Soviet Union "retaliated" by boycotting the Los Angeles games. (Oh, no, not that! Do anything to us -- drop an atom bomb on our heads if you must -- but please, please, please don't boycott the Olympics!)

In the 2006 Peking Games, U.S. President George Bush faced a dilemma. If he went to the games, it would seem like he was giving legitimacy to the government of China, which the U.S. officially regarded as a totalitarian regime with a dismal record of human rights violations.

But if he didn't go, the Chinese government might call in the several trillion dollars worth of the U.S. national debt that we owe to China, causing an economic catastrophe in the U.S. (More irony -- the U.S. economy collapsed anyway, and China didn't have to do anythimg.)

Bush's solution was to go to Peking but to stop off in Taiwan on the way and give a blistering speech about how awful the Chnese were.

Bush then proceded to attend the opening ceremonies to show he liked China, but not to attend the closing ceremonies, to show that he didn't like China. He sent Condoleeza Rice and Michelle Kwan to the closing ceremonies in his place to show that, well, he liked China a little bit after all.

Ms. Rice had to leave before the closing ceremonies, leaving Michelle and the U.S. ambassador to China to soldier on by themsleves, because the uprising in the former soviet republic of Georgia broke out and Condi was needed back home. (To do what, I am not sure, but anyway...)

^^^
Hogwash, imo. What the Ancient Olympics were about and present day Olys have two different meanings. It's more like, I want to win, and I want to be the only one from my country to win.

Do you really think that, Joe? Do you think the guy who wins the shot putt secretly hopes that his countryman entered in the 100 meter dash will fall down and break a leg, thus giving more glory to the shot-putter?

If you were the shot putter, is that how you would feel about the other athletes on the American team?

Do you really think that, Joe? Do you think the guy who wins the shot putt secretly hopes that his countryman entered in the 100 meter dash will fall down and break a leg, thus giving more glory to the shot-putter?

If you were the shot putter, is that how you would feel about the other athletes on the American team?

Tell me, what does that poor man care about anything if he doesn't win the shot put? That's what he's been working at all those years. Not for his country, but for himself. Why not? If the country gets off on it,that's ok.

It was the part about "I want to be the only person from my country to win" that I was asking about.

Maybe I am just a Pollyanna, but I would like to think that Caroline Zhang and Rachael Flatt are friends and that each was happy that the other also skated well at the WTT. (OK, maybe Caroline was a little more tickled than Rachael about the whole thing )

And that they were both pleased that their friend Evan Lysacek skated great in the men's competition.

Edited to add:About the Olympics, I do think that many athletes take pride in being chosen to represent their countries, and, when their event is over, cheer on their teammates who are competiting in other sports.

Maybe I am just a Pollyanna, but I would like to think that Caroline Zhang and Rachael Flatt are friends and that each was happy that the other also skated well at the WTT. (OK, maybe Caroline was a little more tickled than Rachael about the whole thing )

And that they were both pleased that their friend Evan Lysacek skated great in the men's competition.

OK but the WTT is the World Team Challenge. Where, as far as i'm aware, the individual skaters didn't recieved anything for their individual efforts but rather as a team.

Do you think that Michelle Kwan was pleased that Tara Lipinski skated so well at the 1998 Olympics or that she was pleased as punch that way Sarah Hughes skated a blinding LP in 2002?